The can opener has evolved from a rudimentary bayonet-sickle hybrid to today’s more modern design, which typically has a propeller-like knob called a driving handle that users turn to move a small, circular blade around the top of a can. Traditional can openers puncture the top and remove the metal lid inside the can’s rim. Safety can openers cut into the side of the can at the top and allow users to remove both the metal lid and the rim itself; this creates a smoother, and therefore safer, edge.
In our most recent testing, we chose a safety opener as our winner for two reasons: its sleek, comfortable design and easy lid removal. However, we stock the test kitchen with our winning equipment so we can use it regularly and monitor its performance over time, and after a while, we started hearing some complaints about our winning can opener. Our test cooks said that this opener was confusing because they couldn’t always tell when the opener had successfully attached to the can. Unlike a traditional can opener that clamps down tightly as it punctures the lid, this model latches on to the side and doesn’t give a clear audible or tactile indication that it’s properly attached.
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